Framework for Reading Comprehension

The 2014 programme of study for reading gives extensive detail about how to develop children’s word recognition skills, but comparatively little information on the other aspect of reading – comprehension.  Yet, of course, it is reading comprehension which is assessed at the end of every key stage.  Many schools feel that the teaching of comprehension lacks consistency across different year groups.

In order to address concerns about the teaching of reading comprehension, Andy Taylor worked with groups of teachers from Leicester and Bolton schools in 2013 – 14.  This training course is a follow up to the development work completed last year. In particular the training will introduce a draft reading comprehension scheme of work.

Using a text, ‘What’s It Worth Joey?’ the training will explore important comprehension strategies such as skimming and scanning and ways of promoting more active and closer reading.  It will also investigate ways of getting children to retrieve information and how to make inferences from a text, using techniques such as matching, ordering and selecting, in preparation for more formal comprehension exercises.

From these practical activities, participants will be able to review important principles which underpin comprehension practice, begin thinking about relevant and consistent teaching approaches to use across the school, and consider objectives which could be used in different year groups.  Whilst these will need to be customised for each individual school, the materials provided could become the basis for a reading comprehension policy and scheme of work. 

The training, designed for anyone with an interest in reading comprehension but particularly relevant for subject leaders with responsibility for updating policy and practice in their school.